The present invention generally relates to material handling and more particularly relates to lift trucks, and even more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for improving the ride quality of lift trucks.
In the past, lift trucks have been used extensively for material handling, including indoors. Many of these lift trucks use solid rubber tires, often referred to as cushion tires. These cushion tires come in several varieties, including those designed not to leave skid marks on the floor. While these tires have many advantages, they also have several drawbacks. These tires are relatively expensive and they often become worn or damaged. Uneven wear of the tires can result in vibration during operation of the lift truck. Moreover, excessive vibration can be dangerous. Since these cushion tires typically serve as the suspension for the lift truck, any vibration caused by the tires may be transmitted to the load or to the operator. Lower back problems are not uncommon among lift truck drivers who operate with worn tires. Often, operators compensate for the worn tires by operating the lift trucks at lower speed, thereby reducing productivity.
Consequently, there exists a need for improvement in lift truck tires and the quality of ride they provide.
It is an object of the present invention to provide enhanced ride quality for lift trucks.
It is a feature of the present invention to recondition the worn and damaged tires.
It is an advantage of the present invention to reduce the frequency of tire replacement and its associated cost.
It is another advantage of the present invention to decrease the lift truck downtime required for uneven tire wear remediation.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention to enhance the environment by reducing the frequency of discarding tires.
It is another feature of the present invention to use a lift truck mounted tire reconditioning device.
It is another advantage of the present invention to provide for tire wear remediation without requiring removal of the tire.
The present invention is an apparatus and method for improving the quality of ride for lift trucks, which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in a xe2x80x9ctire removal-less mannerxe2x80x9d in a sense vibration caused by excessive tire wear can often be greatly reduced without a requirement to remove and replace the tire.
Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method for reconditioning lift truck tires, using a carriage-mounted device for removing portions of the tire.